To examine whether manpower and expertise understaffing are distinct, and whether they relate similarly to nursing stressors, burnout, job satisfaction and intentions to turnover.
A cross-sectional survey of hospital nurses nested within units was used.
The sample included 402 nurses. Nurses provided ratings of the study's variables using validated self-report measures. The data were analysed both as multilevel and single-level data.
Manpower and expertise understaffing contributed unique explained variance to all of the examined outcomes. Nurses within the same units experience different understaffing levels. Expertise understaffing emerged as a significantly stronger predictor than manpower understaffing for three of the six of the outcome variables (illegitimate tasks, job satisfaction and turnover intentions).
Manpower and expertise understaffing are distinct, and both are associated with nurse outcomes.
We have adhered to the STROBE guideline for cross-sectional studies.
Considering both manpower and expertise understaffing to maintain proper staffing levels in nursing units is crucial.
A Director of Patient Care Services from the hospital where the study was conducted is a member of the research team. This member contributed to designing and conducting the study as well as interpreting the results.
To understand the social representations of bedside milk expression (BME) among mothers of preterm newborns in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs).
Qualitative descriptive study.
The study was conducted from July to August 2024 in two NICUs of a referral maternity hospital in Fortaleza, Brazil. Nineteen mothers of hospitalised premature newborns participated. Semi-structured interviews were conducted and subjected to thematic content analysis.
Mothers perceived BME as a meaningful act of protection and bonding, though some were unfamiliar with the practice. Emotional ambivalence was common, shaped by prior breastfeeding experiences and the context of prematurity. Discomfort related to privacy and shared spaces was noted. Support from healthcare professionals was essential to promote understanding and adherence.
Social representations of BME are shaped by emotional, social and institutional experiences. Anchored in prior breastfeeding experiences and cultural meanings of maternal care, the practice is objectified through both gestures of affection and tangible barriers.
Healthcare professionals, particularly nurses, should receive training to support mothers in BME. Structural improvements, privacy and emotional support are essential for fostering maternal autonomy and confidence.
This study highlights the barriers to BME, emphasising the role of healthcare support and the need for better infrastructure, privacy and training to enhance maternal confidence and breastfeeding.
The study followed the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research checklist.
None.
This paper highlights the pivotal role of healthcare professional support in overcoming barriers to BME and promoting breastfeeding practices.
Fresh breast milk is considered the gold standard for reducing complications and improving survival in preterm infants. BME is recommended as an effective strategy to ensure the availability of fresh breast milk. Mothers' social representations of this practice remain underexplored within the neonatal intensive care context.
Explores mothers' social representations of BME in NICUs, addressing a significant gap in qualitative research. Reveals how emotional, social and institutional factors shape mothers' perceptions, motivations and challenges related to BME. Highlights the need for targeted professional support, improved infrastructure and privacy to enhance maternal autonomy and adherence to milk expression practices.
Healthcare professionals, particularly nurses, should receive specialised training to provide technical guidance and emotional support, enhancing mothers' confidence and autonomy in BME. Improving infrastructure and ensuring privacy in NICUs are crucial to creating supportive environments that facilitate milk expression and strengthen maternal–infant bonding. Institutional policies should integrate maternal-centred strategies to support breastfeeding continuity and promote humanised neonatal care.
To co-produce a prototype intervention to help nurses improve the assessment and care of the sexual health needs of men with inflammatory bowel disease.
Inflammatory bowel disease can have a significant impact on the sexual health and well-being of men, but has largely been neglected in research and clinical guidelines. Men with the disease report that sexual health is not discussed during consultations, while healthcare practitioners describe a lack of confidence to initiate sexual health assessments. At present, no evidence-based tool exists to support nurses in detecting, assessing, and providing care for the sexual health of men with the disease.
A mixed-methods study shaped by phase 1 of the Medical Research Council's framework for the development of complex interventions.
(1) Cross-sectional surveys of (i) men with inflammatory bowel disease, (ii) nurses, and (iii) inflammatory bowel disease services to determine the current state of sexual health provision across the UK National Health Service. (2) Semi-structured interviews with men and the partners of men with IBD and asynchronous focus groups with health professionals to explore appropriate and acceptable ways to provide sexual healthcare. (3) Three consecutive co-production workshops inclusive of men with the disease, healthcare professionals, and stakeholders to formulate a prototype intervention.
This study will create an evidence-based prototype intervention that will provide nurses with the knowledge and skills required to effectively assess the sexual health needs of men with inflammatory bowel disease and provide appropriate, patient-centred care.
The study design was supported by a patient group. The study delivery will be supported by a patient co-investigator and stakeholder group inclusive of men with lived experience of the disease.
This report adheres to the SPIRIT 2013 checklist for standard protocol items for clinical trials.
clinicaltrials.gov ID: NCT06562751
Historically, Black women have been positioned as primary caretakers and problem-solvers, often expected to bear disproportionate responsibility during times of crisis. There is an enduring image of Black women possessing exceptional strength handed down through generations, captured in the sociocultural phenomenon known as the superwoman schema, or SWS. The aim of this discursive review is to explore health disparities among Black women related to the SWS.
A discursive paper.
A literature search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus and Google Scholar to identify relevant papers published from 2016 to 2025 that addressed health disparities among Black women.
Through literature review, we identified three critical areas of health disparities associated with mental health disorders, maternal mortality and breast cancer, reflecting the influence of inequitable practices embedded within healthcare systems and society. Nurses, advanced practice nurses and other healthcare providers must prioritise identifying and addressing barriers that hinder access to quality healthcare for Black women. Many providers remain unaware of how depressive symptoms, chronic stress and social determinants impact maternal, mental and breast health outcomes. Encouraging Black women to prioritise mental health, engage in routine prenatal care and seek early breast cancer screening is critical to improving health outcomes. By understanding the historical, societal, and personal contexts of the SWS, nurses can clarify both its benefits and challenges for Black women.
To explore youth, caregiver and staff perspectives on their vision of trauma-informed care, and to identify and understand potential considerations for the implementation of a trauma-informed care programme in an inpatient mental health unit within a paediatric hospital.
We applied the Interpretive Description approach, guided by complexity theory and the Implementation Roadmap, and used Applied Thematic Analysis methods.
Twenty-five individuals participated in individual or group interviews between March and June 2022, including 21 healthcare professionals, 3 youth and 1 caregiver. We identified two overarching themes. The first theme, ‘Understanding and addressing the underlying reasons for distress’, related to participants’ understanding and vision of TIC in the current setting comprising: (a) ‘Participants’ understanding of TIC’; (b) ‘Trauma screening and trauma processing within TIC’; (c) ‘Taking “a more individualized approach”’; (d) ‘Unit programming’; and (e) “Connecting to the community”. The second theme, ‘Factors that support or limit successful TIC implementation’ comprises: (a) ‘The need for a broad “cultural shift”’; (b) ‘The physical environment on the unit’; and (c) ‘Factors that may limit successful implementation’.
We identified five key domains to consider within trauma-informed care implementation: (a) the centrality of engagement with youth, caregivers and staff in trauma-informed care delivery and implementation, (b) trauma-informed care core programme components, (c) factors that may support or limit success in implementing trauma-informed care within the mental health unit and (d) hospital-wide and (e) the importance of intersectoral collaboration (partnering with external organizations and sectors).
When implementing TIC, there is an ongoing need to increase clarity regarding TIC interventions and implementation initiatives. Youth, caregiver and healthcare professional participants shared considerations important for planning the delivery and implementation of trauma-informed care in their setting. We identified five key domains to consider within trauma-informed care implementation: (a) the centrality of relational engagement, (b) trauma-informed care programme components, (c) factors that may support or limit successful implementation of trauma-informed care within the mental health unit and (d) hospital-wide and (e) the importance of intersectoral collaboration. Organizations wishing to implement trauma-informed care should consider ongoing engagement with all relevant knowledge user groups throughout the process.
Standards for Reporting Qualitative Research (SRQR).
The local hospital research institute's Patient and Family Advisory Committee reviewed the draft study methods and provided feedback.